An Israeli drone strike killed two people in Gaza yesterday, local Palestinian medical authorities said, underscoring the uncertainty surrounding a fragile ceasefire deal that has halted fighting in the enclave for weeks.
The Israeli military said the drone struck a group of suspects operating near its troops in northern Gaza and planting an explosive device in the ground, but gave no details on casualties.
The military, under new army chief Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, has made preparations for a return to war in Gaza if no agreement can be reached with Hamas on extending the 42-day ceasefire agreed in January.
But with a visit in coming days from US President Donald Trump’s special Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff, who has held direct talks with Hamas, there has been no indication that Israel has given up on continuing the ceasefire.
A delegation from Hamas arrived in Cairo for talks with Egyptian mediators who have been helping facilitate the talks along with officials from Qatar, aiming to proceed to the next stage of the deal, which could open the way to ending the war.
“They will hold discussions with the Egyptian leadership about the outcomes and decisions of the Arab summit, ways to implement these decisions, and the need to start the second phase of the ceasefire agreement,” Taher Al Nono, the political advisor of the Hamas chief, told Reuters.
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